I frequently get asked why I so adamantly defend law enforcement. My response? Law and order is nonexistent without boots on the ground, a principled backbone, to keep our communities a safe haven for our children to grow and prosper. It’s a duty that requires sacrifice, patience and is rarely appreciated because cops are the embodiment of our laws…the proverbial “dark side” of authority people love to hate. I freely admit I’ve had occasional run-ins with overbearing, unpleasant officers. However, I’ve also met a number of decent human beings who are just trying to make a difference in their communities by protecting hardworking Americans from the ravages of crime. What critics too often overlook is that police deal with hardened criminals, con-artists and serial idiots every day; those who lie without remorse, have zero regard for the law, and who pose a credible danger to the safety of both young and old. Yet these brave men and women are still expected to be professionals – give suspects the benefit of the doubt – even though their compassion and indulgence may actually cost them their lives. How many other jobs can boast of such a dynamic, let alone comprehend the dire consequences? Few if any.

I used to scoff at the idea of putting mini-cameras on every officer because I thought it was too intrusive and would open a Pandora’s Box of frivolous lawsuits over the faintest interpretation of indiscretion. But the more I think about it, I love it. Yes, I embrace the demand touted by rabid liberals because I have little doubt these devices – which already exist in most cop cars – will exonerate countless law enforcement agents from an exploding culture of baseless media attacks, as well as shield them from the shameless ploys of career race-baiters. In fact, these video records could potentially prevent much of the senseless riots and mob violence plaguing our urban centers. After all, if rhetoric matched reality, the number of white deaths at the hands of police brutality was nearly double that of black victims in 2014. And as for those cops who do operate above and beyond the law? Such a move will make them think twice before violating the rights of citizens, or it will help put them behind bars where they belong. Either way, society is the better for it because nothing would be a greater threat to our lives, our freedoms, than a national police force under the Marxist control of Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. I shiver at the mere thought.

Regardless of your predisposed attitudes towards police, I implore you to give them the same respect as our military personnel. Take a few minutes out of your day to introduce yourself, shake their hands, and thank them for their service. For without their dedication and sacrifice, their willingness to protect life at the risk of losing their own, America would resemble a banana republic or a totalitarian state that exports sunshine for subjugation. Our liberty, your right to due process free from mob justice and political exploitation, is not for sale.